Trackers and stationary bike

whoisadriane

Good morning! Can anyone recommend a good fitness tracker (fitbit jawbone etc)? Better yet, one that would work for cycling?

EvgeniZyntx

none of them work for cycling specific AFAIK.

You can use a Loop, Vivofit or other ones that include a HRM strap to evaluate cardio exercise on a bike, but not cadence, speed or distance.

Check out dcrainmaker.com for all review on Activity Monitors, HRM, etc...

MeanderingMammal

Accelerometer based devices aren't really designed for cycling, although some people will start suggesting that you attach it to your leg or something.

Far better forcycling would be a smartphone app like Endomondo, Runkeeper or Strava.

marleegubler

I have a Polar FT4, got it for $50 on Amazon and I love it. It actually has a heart monitor so it is incredibly accurate to YOUR body, not an estimate based on statistics. Therefore, it works great for cycling and can be used for anything else too, dance, running, even swimming as its waterproof, highly recommend! It even calculates where you heartrate should be during exercise and lets you know if you are above or below that zone. It cannot track miles on a bike though, only time, calories and heartrate, but mapping your ride isn't too hard.

MeanderingMammal

marleegubler wrote: »

..... it is incredibly accurate to YOUR body, not an estimate based on statistics.

Oh gods, here we go again.

It'll give a reasonably acurate reading of your heart rate at a point in time. Everything else is extrapolated based on algorithms that are designed around steady state, aerobic range activity.

Usefulness for cycling really depends how much effort one puts into the ride. Too slow and it'll be outside its design range.

EvgeniZyntx

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

Accelerometer based devices aren't really designed for cycling, although some people will start suggesting that you attach it to your leg or something.

Far better forcycling would be a smartphone app like Endomondo, Runkeeper or Strava.

Several have HRM, which works for calculated burns on HR.

Smartphone apps are less accurate than specific GPS devices like a Garmin forerunner.
I would not recommend them.

EvgeniZyntx

marleegubler wrote: »

I have a Polar FT4, got it for $50 on Amazon and I love it. It actually has a heart monitor so it is incredibly accurate to YOUR body, not an estimate based on statistics. Therefore, it works great for cycling and can be used for anything else too, dance, running, even swimming as its waterproof, highly recommend! It even calculates where you heartrate should be during exercise and lets you know if you are above or below that zone. It cannot track miles on a bike though, only time, calories and heartrate, but mapping your ride isn't too hard.

Aside from the other comment, the bolded is complete nonsense.
Mapping a past ride can very easy or extremely complicated. ANGTFT.

For $80-$100 or so one can get a reasonable forerunner that does what the FT4 does and gives tracks.

MeanderingMammal

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

Accelerometer based devices aren't really designed for cycling, although some people will start suggesting that you attach it to your leg or something.

Far better forcycling would be a smartphone app like Endomondo, Runkeeper or Strava.

Several have HRM, which works for calculated burns on HR.

Which assumes that one is using them in the designed range of operation. Someone asking the question as in the original post doesn't suggest steady state 12-25mph speeds that would drive the heart into a range where HR is a meaningful proxy for calorie expenditure.

The same applies to using an HRM for resitance training, prancing around in front of DVDs etc and expecting the calorie approximation to be representative.

Smartphone apps are less accurate than specific GPS devices like a Garmin forerunner.
I would not recommend them.

Again, given the question as framed, I'm not gong to go recommending a £200 device when a free app will probably provide the data to the required level of accuracy.

EvgeniZyntx

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

Accelerometer based devices aren't really designed for cycling, although some people will start suggesting that you attach it to your leg or something.

Far better forcycling would be a smartphone app like Endomondo, Runkeeper or Strava.

Several have HRM, which works for calculated burns on HR.

Which assumes that one is using them in the designed range of operation. Someone asking the question as in the original post doesn't suggest steady state 12-25mph speeds that would drive the heart into a range where HR is a meaningful proxy for calorie expenditure.

The same applies to using an HRM for resitance training, prancing around in front of DVDs etc and expecting the calorie approximation to be representative.

Smartphone apps are less accurate than specific GPS devices like a Garmin forerunner.
I would not recommend them.

Again, given the question as framed, I'm not gong to go recommending a £200 device when a free app will probably provide the data to the required level of accuracy.

But the OP isn't looking for a free app.
The smartphone apps are really off on burns and provide no info outside of specific activity runs.

Something like the forerunner 15 costs less than £100 provides steps, better distance info, HR than the smartphone.

Please explain how a smartphone will track on a stationary bike?? (see the thread title)

And a forerunner has a longer battery life.

I agree that you need to keep a SS for a calculated burn for a HRM - but do you think that the phone app algorithms are more accurate because they don't take into consideration effort? Lol.

(for example: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-Forerunner-Running-Activity-Tracker/dp/B00JRXDCDS/ref=sr_1_1/276-4262889-0381303?ie=UTF8&qid=1423143847&sr=8-1&keywords=forerunner+15)

Note OP: That isn't a cycling specific device but it will give tracks and HR and provide a better calculation than a phone gps and can be used as a step tracker.

MeanderingMammal

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

Please explain how a smartphone will track on a stationary bike?? (see the thread title)

Fair point I blanked that out, although a GPS based device without a speed and cadence sensor won't help either.

Personally I use my 310XT, with speed and cadence, on my turbo trainer

EvgeniZyntx

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

Please explain how a smartphone will track on a stationary bike?? (see the thread title)

Fair point I blanked that out, although a GPS based device without a speed and cadence sensor won't help either.

Personally I use my 310XT, with speed and cadence, on my turbo trainer

I also use a 900 and a speed/cadence dongle (have a power meter somewhere, and a fenix 2 - ok, I admit I have an issue) but those are much too expensive.

I make the supposition that the OP will be doing relatively steady state work or HIIT on the spin bike and that a HR monitor gives sufficient info, without plonking down for a receiver and a speed/cadence transmitter.

I do not believe the FR 15 can have a transmitter of this type added.

DavPul

bodymedia fit.